The zombies fell like puppets with their strings cut. Ruth, Brom, Sir Harold, and Kai made quick work of them as Tigris herded the freed knights out of the dungeons.
"Half of you get to the upper and lower towns. Protect the civilians, guard them with your lives! The rest of you, get to the armoury, grab a sword, and begin working at the zombies! We don't know how long their vulnerability will last!" she ordered. The knights hurried to follow her orders.
"Tigris!" she turned to find Aodh shaking his head at her, "Father's not here!"
Her heart sank. He had to be held in solitary, then. She tossed Aodh the ring of keys, glancing at the rest of her knights as she did so. "Are you lot alright?" she asked.
Ruth nodded, smiling as she cut down another warrior. She picked up his key ring with the tip of her sword. "Go. We can handle the rest."
Tigris nodded, turning to leave.
"Wait!" Kai shouted, running to catch up to her. His rich skin gleamed with sweat that trickled down his temples. His blade was splattered with zombie gore. Tigris felt a stirring of searing heat within her at the sight of him, but his words immediately sobered her.
"I think I know where the king might be. Finn mentioned it to me once. He's in a hidden wing of solitary. Finn said he read it in a book. I can lead you there!"
Tigris' spirits rose, elatement filling her. She was going to get the king back.
She was going to get the kingdom back.
For the first time, the end of this awful coup seemed in sight. Kai smiled at her warmly, somehow looking radiant, even after all the fighting. He pressed a kiss to her cheekbone before bounding ahead of her. Aodh shrugged, holding open the door for both of them.
Kai led them through the twisting corridors of the dungeon, wading deeper into the solitary wing than Tigris had ever seen before. Aodh looked uneasy at the sudden silence that contrasted the deafening sounds of fighting from just moments ago.
"I don't think I've ever been this far into solitary before," he muttered nervously.
Kai nodded. "Finn said that he wanted the king completely isolated. Something about making him feel what he felt while in the dungeons."
The words were horrific, so unlike Finn that Tigris could barely believe it. Then again, she never would have thought Finn to be capable of holding the entire castle hostage.
Kai peered at the walls around him, his jaw clenching. "Finn said he should be just up ahead." he muttered, turning the corner. Tigris moved to follow him when a voice rang out.
"Hello, Kai."
Hands wrapped around Tigris' mouth, yanking her back. She struggled against them, moving to twist away from her captor when Aodh appeared in front of her, shaking his head frantically. Tigris stopped struggling.
"It's me!" Ivie whispered, releasing Tigris slowly. She pressed a finger to her lips, the movement barely visible in the dark cells.
"Ivie, what are you doing here!" Tigris hissed, "Where's Roche?"
As if in answer, the warning bells began to wail loudly. Tigris felt a headache pulse between her eyes. Ivie murmured, "We saw Finn coming towards you. He knew you'd look for your father and brought his entire army here."
Tigris' blood turned to ice in her veins. She tore herself away from Ivie and Aodh, peeking her head around the corner.
Kai was frozen, staring at the mass of bodies in front of him. The zombies were packed in the room, standing shoulder to shoulder obediently with warmly glowing torches. At the very front, facing Kai with a smile so cold that it gave Tigris goosebumps, was Finn.
She barely recognised her brother. His jaw was set with disgust, his verdant eyes icy and unyielding. He seemed to tower over Kai, who faltered and stepped back instinctively.
"Finn," Kai whispered, his voice trembling. His warm eyes were wide with fear.
Tigris was lurching forward before she could register that she was moving, trying to get to Kai's side. But hands wrapped around her again. Aodh clapped his hand over her mouth while Ivie held her back by the waist.
"No, Tigris. We can't face them. There's too many." he hissed.
Tigris struggled, biting his hand. She wasn't going to let Kai face Finn alone. Aodh stifled his yelp, continuing to restrain her with Ivie. Tigris dragged them all a step closer towards the corner, and froze when she saw Finn stepping closer to Kai.
All of his supercilious attitude seemed to fade as he neared Kai. His green eyes seemed to soften.
"You said you chose me," he murmured, reaching his hand out to cup Kai's chin. Tigris saw Kai shiver at his touch, and her stomach stirred with a mix of envy and fury.
Kai held Finn's gaze resolutely. "I did," he said calmly, his voice betraying none of the fear currently lining his face.
Finn frowned disapprovingly. "Yet you let Tigris, Roche, Aodh, and Sir Harold out of their cells before fleeing to the woods to join them?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Again, Kai nodded. Finn's hand dropped to his side.
"Why have you betrayed me too, Kai?" he asked sadly, "I thought... out of everyone, you were the one that I trusted."
The words were an echo of Tigris' earlier speech to Roche. She felt a brief pang of sympathy for her lost looking baby brother before she remembered just what he'd done. And what he was doing.
Kai looked sad as he lifted his hands, placing them on Finn's shoulders. "I trusted you too," he murmured, gazing deep into Finn's eyes, "I trusted in the leader I thought you'd become. I trusted that you'd keep this kingdom's best interests at heart while ruling with compassion. I trusted that you'd help your sister do so."
Finn's face seemed to twist with agony. "I tried that," he whispered raggedly, "But she wasn't doing what needed to be done."
"I think," Kai replied, his voice knowing and sure, "That you are letting your fury guide you. Yet you know as well as I do that anger is a terrible counsel."
Finn's eyes gleamed with pain. "That's not true," he insisted, sounding almost desperate, "I tried to let Tigris do what was needed. If she'd just done what was necessary, I would have been happy to sit back."
"What was necessary?" Kai repeated flatly, stepping back and crossing his arms, "Like killing your father?"
Immediately, Finn's face twisted with rage. "That bastard has wronged far too many," he spat, hands curling into fists. Tigris watched the obsidian veins pulsate against his skin grotesquely with his rage. "He doesn't deserve the crown."
"No," Kai agreed, "Perhaps he doesn't. But Tigris does. You believed in her once."
"She turned a blind eye to the suffering of many. She ignored me when I told her as much." Finn said flatly, "She is not the ruler the Faultless Kingdom needs."
He might as well have ripped out her heart.
"And you are?" Kai asked, his lips drooping with disappointment. Tigris watched, rapt as Kai shook his head. "Finn, you've read me enough stories about kings who declare themselves worthy of power. You know how those stories end. Don't make yourself a villain."
"That's not what this is!" Finn swore, gritting his teeth in frustration, "I don't want this. But it must be done. I need to live in peace, and this is the only way to do that."
"Not the only way," Kai said gently, but Finn ignored him, leaning closer with a fervent gleam to his eyes.
"I've been a good ruler. I'm bringing justice to the lands. I'm showing everyone the truth." he said, almost like a plea.
Kai's face hardened. "Really?" he asked evenly, even as Finn's hackles rose at his tone, "Was that what killing all those innocent civilians was?"
Guilt flashed across Finn's features. "That was the Council's doing, not mine. I thought they'd just-"
"Kill the knights who have protected you since you were an infant?" Kai interrupted coolly. He lifted his chin defiantly as Finn's cheeks reddened. "You've always trusted me to tell you the truth. So I'm going to tell it to you now. What you've done is wrong, Finn. You killed innocents."
"They were necessary deaths. No war is waged without a loss of life." Finn argued flippantly.
Kai shot him an unimpressed look, even though Tigris could see him trembling. "Who's words are those? Yours or the Council's?" Kai pressed, his voice rising.
Finn flinched at those words. "Both." he answered, but there was an uncertain quaver to the word that instantly made it seem like a lie.
Kai's jaw clenched. "Don't lie to me!"
"I'm not!" Finn snapped, stalking closer to Kai. Kai instinctively flinched back. Finn froze in place, hurt splaying across his features before he schooled his expression back into neutrality. He held his hands out placatingly. "This is all for the greater good, Kai."
"Face it, Finn," Kai replied, his voice gently even though the words were scalding, "The Council are terrible leaders. They've forced you to slaughter your people."
"It was-"
"Don't you dare say necessary!" Kai shouted, his eyes gleaming, "You made me stand there and watch as you killed my friends! Those deaths weren't necessary. And I know you know that. So do the smart thing and stop this madness before anyone else gets hurt!"
Finn backed away from Kai. "Is that what my sister told you to say?"
"She didn't have to. Anyone can see it."
"Is that so?" Finn sneered, "Is that why you betrayed me?"
Time seemed to slow. Kai's lips wobbled. A single tear carved a path down his smooth cheeks, paving the way for his weighty words.
"You betrayed me first."
Finn stared at him, his jaw dropping for a moment before he visibly collected himself. Slowly, far too slowly, he walked towards Kai. His shoes clicked against the ground, like a lethal timer ticking away. Kai didn't move. He stayed statue still as Finn neared, prowling forward with a dangerous sway to his step.
Tigris tried to yank herself away from Ivie and Aodh, but they both held fast. She could only watch helplessly as Finn came to a stop, leaning his face close to Kai's. His eyes were glassy with tears. His lips were inches from Kai's.
"I want to hear you say it," he murmured, his low voice carrying across the silent hall.
Kai didn't have to clarify. He looked devastated as he lifted his hand to Finn's cheek, almost tenderly, and whispered.
"I choose her. I choose Tigris."
Finn inhaled sharply, like Kai had stabbed him. Kai let out a shaky breath as Finn backed away, trembling.
The air was electric with tension. Finn turned his back to Kai, his shoulders shuddering. Inkblood flowed from his fingertips, seeping into the walls and floor. The room shuddered with him, raining rocks on them all.
"So be it," Finn declared, his voice husky with pain, "You have betrayed me too. And you must pay the price."
Tigris could only watch as Finn spun around, ink pouring from his veins and coagulating into a blade. A blade that hurtled straight for Kai.
A/N: Gosh, I can picture this scene so vividly it's insane. I'm loving this new, confident side of Kai, what do you all think? Sorry for the late update today, hopefully this chapter made up for it :D
As always, happy reading!